Denouement

This week is the first real week I am coaching myself.  I guess I did last week too, but there's not a whole lot of choices to be made when you are running two track races in a week.  Today's run was really exciting. 12.93k easy at 4:47 pace.  PT appt later.  He's been working on my lower back but there is no massage in this PT's regamin so I am going to try another I think.  Then I met Kami Semick for the first time.  She is a big time, internationally reknown ultramarathoner (Davy Crockett knows who she is).  She also moved to HK last August.  We had lunch and got to know each other. 

In the evening I gave my 45 minute talk titled "Spiritual Lessons the Marathon has taught Me" to my family.  I gave each of them a note pad, and JJ was the timer (he gave me a five minute warning when I had five minutes left).  JJ started crying in the middle because we wouldn't let him make comments in the middle.  His comment was that I was using too many big words and he couldn't understand anything that I was saying.  That was nice.  Paul said it was the best talk he had ever heard, better than any general conference talk, etc.  Well that may be a bit over the top, but still made me feel good.  Here's the outline

And don't give me crap because I am not perfect about these principles from running, some of these things we are "blessed" to be able to learn over and over, right?

5 lessons from training:

1. Base work

2. Workouts-stresses that enable you to handle bigger stresses in the future

3 The Iterative nature of training cycles

4  Prioritizing our efforts

5 Assembling a support team (ya'll are in my support team)

4 lessons from racing:

1. Fuel along the way

2. I can't run faster than I have strength (I especially get to relearn this one over and over)

3 Don't trust appearances

4 Race the clock

6 priniciples in mental training

1.  Keep your goals in mind

2. Be a part of others' support team

3. You have to practice caring

4. Make peace with the process

5. Trust your coach

6. Celebrate your accomplishments.

Mind-blowing stuff, right?  

Met S. and we went out to Tai Wai.  Went out to the Ma On Shan past the drinking fountain to a couple of dead ends and back to Tai Wai.  S. got 21k.  This is my long run for the week so my plan was 30k, with the last 5k at 3:45-3:50.  

For the last several months I have had an irritating sleep issue of almost falling asleep within 10 minutes of hitting the pillow, then fulling waking up, then tossing for an hour before going to sleep.  Makes me tired the next day, draws me to the Coke zero or a nap, both of which makes going to sleep at night harder and continues an unhealthy cycle.  So that happened last night so I was tired today, throat is a bit throaty. We averaged 4:40 for the 21k, then on my own I kept between 4:40 and 4:45 until 25k, taking a gel at 23k. I did not want to do a fast finish.  I was tired and already sore.  But I started, about 500m out then 4.5k back to Tai Wai.  Was at 4:00/k at the turn around, down to 3:56 by 1k, dropped gradually to 3:50/k ave pace by 4k, went under the biking underpass, and as I came up, pushing the pace, my GI track said "STOP RIGHT NOW".  I knew that voice and obeyed.  I stopped at 4.22k with 3:49 ave pace.  I wanted to really kick in the last k, but I feel good what I was able to do.  Had to walk a bit then was able to jog it in. 30.02k total.  Will do a shake out run or elliptical this afternoon.

PM:  just over 30 min on TM, practicing my talk, 6k I feel like I might be coming down with something :(

4:54/k pace, half of a core workout

Warm up with S, then did 2 min on/1 min off x 12 fartlek S hasn't done much speed so she did 6.  Mine were an average of 3:35/k pace cool down

Ran an easy run on the tm.  Today I had my talk about spiritual lessons the marathon has taught me.  So I had the opportunity on the TM to review the talk 1.5 times and made some quick tweaks to it after the run then went in for the ladies conference.  My talk went fine, but I felt so trained physically and emotionally afterward.  It felt like I had over exposed myself, because of discussing some triumphs and disappointments that are so close to my heart.  Chilled with my husband that night, ate Moroccan food, yum.  

Warmed up 6.64k with Roberto, then did 2 x 5k.  It was supposed to be at HM pace but I overdid it a bit.  I am glad I could, it means I can do some of the harder workouts I have in mind for myself :D  First 5k was 18:58, or 3:48/k.  Then about 1.8k rest, bathroom and water break, then second 5k was 18:40., 3:44/k.  Wouldn't that be awesome for that to be hm pace?  Cooled down 3.18.  Not too warm but it was humid, so sweating a bit more.

Went to the women's conference after the workout.  Got there for the last general session then went out for lunch with some ladies at a divey Shanhainese restaurant.  Had my first hot and sour soup in HK.  It was great and just like the better H&S soups in the US (you never know if something is "authentic"). They had pork dumplings just like the Costco potstickers, which Ben LOVES so I am excited to finally find a source for those.  Did an afternoon hike around Victoria Peak.  Got home at 5pm.  Made a cake,, some chocolate frosting dinner for Saturday and a meatloaf for tomorrow. Busy because I am hosting a b-day potluck tomorrow.